“My evenings are taken up very largely with astrology. I make horoscopic calculations in order to find a clue to the core of psychological truth. Some remarkable things have turned up which will certainly appear incredible to you.”
~Carl Jung in a letter to Sigmund Freud (June 12, 1911)
Astrological Counseling
I offer astrological counseling for psycho-spiritual exploration, understanding, and transformation. Astrology utilized in this way can be a missing key for deep inner work and can shed light on the path towards greater harmony with the natural rhythms and cycles of one’s life journey. My approach to astrology is to share the potentials and opportunities I see while exploring how the symbols and archetypes are manifesting uniquely for each individual. Astrology is a wonderful tool for self-knowledge and a help in times of challenge or transition. It can facilitate tremendous insight and peace, as well as provide timelines for certain archetypal or energetic influences reflected in our lives and inner states of being. Consultations available for birth chart exploration, current influences, relationship dynamics, and timing for important events.
Scorpio season, a Solar Eclipse, Sun/Venus conjunction, and Mercury turns direct
The Sun, Moon, and Venus all entered Scorpio yesterday (Oct 23rd). This is a big shift all at once from diplomatic, reasonable, and mental-oriented Libra — to intense, piercing, and feeling-oriented Scorpio. The Scorpio archetype is about speaking and acting from a knowing that originates deep within the gut. During Scorpio season we may find ourselves more in tune with the truth of our instincts, and more inspired to courageously express ourselves from that internal wisdom. Read more...
There was also a Solar Eclipse New Moon yesterday at 0º Scorpio, bringing powerful energy to move forward new developments that are emerging in our lives. At the moment we may only have a sense or glimpse of what these new developments or opportunities may be, yet nonetheless we can feel the potentials of them stirring. In Scorpio we heed the need to purge and allow necessary endings and deaths, so that the imminent transformations taking place may transpire. As this eclipse is near the North Node of the Moon, there is something palpable to be gained through the letting go process. And with the Sun and Venus closely intertwined in the mix, the transformations and new beginnings will likely involve Venusian aims, such as engaging life within partnerships for the purpose of experiencing deepening love, creating more beauty, or redefining what is of real value for you. This will be happening specifically within the sphere of life represented by the Scorpio part of your chart.
Further, early tomorrow morning (Oct 25th), the Sun and Venus meet at about 2º Scorpio. The conjunction of the Sun and Venus only happens every 9 months and is part of a larger Venus cycle. It may be interesting to contemplate that this conjunction represents something coming to fruition, which began at the last conjunction between Venus and the Sun, back on Jan 11th in Capricorn, when Venus was retrograde…
Also, tomorrow afternoon (Oct 25th), Mercury turns direct after 3 weeks of apparent backwards motion. Although I am always the first to point out the beneficial aspects of any retrograde cycle, nonetheless, there is still a feeling of relief, readiness, and eagerness for things to start moving forward more freely again.
An observation about the recent Mercury retrograde cycle
Now that Mercury is direct again, here is an observation I made about this recent Mercury retrograde cycle:
When the Sun and Mercury were conjunct during the retrograde phase on Mar 4th, a new seed may have indeed been planted in your life, related to the house that Mercury was retrograding through (wherever Pisces is in your birth chart). This new seed/idea/process gathered momentum at the New Moon on Mar 11th. Yet in my experience, I found that clarity around the newly planted seed was obscured until after Mercury went direct on Mar 17th. Read more...
I needed to review and rethink subjects related to the house Mercury was moving backwards in for me (and Mercury retrograde facilitated this, most thoroughly). With the rethinking/reviewing process, I felt compelled to make a decision during Mercury retrograde. However, when Mercury went direct, I found myself making a 180º turn around the whole subject, i.e. changing my mind completely. This is textbook typical for Mercury retrograde as it symbolically reflects the process that the planet goes through in the sky from our visual perspective on earth: stopping, going backwards for awhile, stopping again, and then turning around to go forward again. Now we too can move forward — with fresh experience, insight, and knowledge gathered from the going to and fro/back and forth process.
Mercury is now direct as of 1:40am (eastern time) today (after 3.5 weeks retrograde). Things may progress forward now, though the day or two before and after Mercury changes directions can be a little hectic.
All planets are direct, but Mars ♂ is slowing down...
Although all planets are direct now, helping us to move forward without obstruction, Mars ♂ is traveling slower than usual in preparation to stop and turn around for his retrograde cycle (1/23-4/13). So the drive forward may not be going as quickly as hoped... Or the current phase could be welcomed as a time for deepening exploration and clarity. Actions taken from mid Nov 2011 (when Mars entered its shadow) thru mid Apr 2012 (when Mars goes direct again) may be reviewed and analyzed in the coming months as Mars retraces his steps backwards and then forwards again. Mars is in Virgo ♍ during this process, supporting us to assert ourselves methodically and conscientiously.
On Christmas Day, expansive and benevolent Jupiter ♃ goes direct (at 5:09pm EST, after about four months of being retrograde), beginning a rare few weeks where there are no planets retrograde. This opens a window in time where there is little or no resistance to moving forward with projects, plans, hopes, and dreams.
Mercury goes direct tonight at 8:43p EST. While Mercury is changing directions (apparently to us from our perspective on Earth), his trickster ways can be even more active. In response to miscommunications, misunderstandings, delays, or mistakes — I am reminding myself things like: the same word can mean very different things to different people, and there is no real rush, everything in its perfect time, etc. Typically, Mercury retrograde issues can be remedied with a little extra care. And after today, communications, purchases, contracts, and moving forward in general will most likely have less resistance and more momentum.
Early on Dec 10, Uranus ♅, the planet of lightning bolt change, revolution, and freedom, turns direct after five months of being retrograde. Generally, when an outer planet is retrograde, its influence is experienced more on the internal level. When it stations (the time period when it slows down and appears to change direction), its influence is intensified and dramatic. Once it turns direct, outward manifestation becomes more apparent. Uranus is turning direct at the very beginning of Aries ♈, the part of the zodiac that epitomizes abundant raw energy and fresh new beginnings. This is a potent shift.
Full Moon in Taurus ♉, Neptune and Chiron turn direct
The Full Moon is the climax of the lunar month and a time to observe with objectivity what is coming to light or to a head. At every Full Moon there is an opposition between the Sun and the Moon, and this polarization and tension of the opposites may be felt within oneself or within ones relationships and circumstances. When the Full Moon is in Taurus, the Sun is in Scorpio: on the one hand, there is a need to let go of the past in order to allow the necessary transformation of the self (Sun in Scorpio) — but on the other hand, there is a valid emotional longing for stability and security (Moon in Taurus), for instance…Read more...
The Sabian symbol for this Full Moon is: “A newly formed continent is seen, fresh and green within its setting of interminable ocean.” Something new is emerging — new ground to stand on and a fresh perspective. Yet it is surrounded by seemingly endless water, which can represent deep feelings, the unknown, or the infinite Divine (all of which can feel frightening to the ego).
Along with this Full Moon, both Neptune and Chiron turn direct after about 5 months of being retrograde. The retrograde period is a time of inner work — on the spiritual level with Neptune — and with Chiron, involves the healing of deep wounds. As both turn direct, we slowly see ways to integrate what we have been working on and move forward.
Pluto: the underworld, healing, and true empowerment
Pluto is preparing to turn direct on Fri, 9/16/2011, after 5 months of being retrograde. When a planet slows down to stop and change directions, it is often felt more powerfully because if your chart is being aspected by a more or less stationary planet, you are getting a longer lasting and more intense hit, a slow burn, from it (Pluto is basically in the same spot, 4º53” Capricorn, from 9/12-9/21!). Even if you dont have any planets or points in your chart being stimulated by Pluto at the moment, the core features of the Pluto archetype may still be resonating in you right now because Pluto is stationing direct.
Pluto (known as Hades in Greek mythology, god of the underworld) is symbolic of the dark unconscious places within the psyche. This includes all the painful emotions (grief, rage, shame, etc) that we have ever experienced and then repressed in order to go about our daily lives without falling apart. But those shadows do not go away — they simply lie dormant, buried deep within the heart, until something happens in life to trigger one of our old core wounds. And then boom, we explode. Or alternatively we implode, collapse, or dissolve. When this happens, usually we are surprised and caught off guard by our own or anothers reactivity. Read more...
All along Pluto has been waiting and watching. He senses when we may be strong enough to finally face those buried wounds within (possibly showing up as an intense Pluto transit to our natal chart). Perhaps after experiencing a troubling reoccurring pattern, or an addiction, or a painful breakup, etc — we decide we want to get to the root, we want to change, we want to heal. Often this means acknowledging that the current situation or conflict is triggering something deeper. If we are brave and willing to dig around, we usually find a hurt little child self — abandoned, abused, traumatized in some way, and then possibly dissociated or shut down. As children and as adults we find ways to cope and live through traumas. Weve all had them. Its part of life. But Pluto demands that we integrate those painful scenarios into consciousness so that we are no longer unconsciously controlled by them.
Pluto is about empowerment, but true power means being courageous enough to face the things we are afraid to look at or afraid to admit, own them, feel the feelings connected with them, and ultimately find the real truth of who we are. Often the things that cause us the most pain are based on false conclusions, which we came to in order to explain the trauma. Especially as children we take everything personally and we unconsciously interpret someones failure to be present or loving as our own fault, inadequacy, or lack of importance. This all happens at an unconscious level. Enter Pluto: Pluto shows us that by facing the pain, we also get to recover the truth, which is of our innate worth, lovability, and holiness — regardless of whatever we have lived through. Through our healing process we may also rediscover faith in life and in humanity, which we hadnt even realized was lost.
Recently I was reminded of a special tool that works amazingly well at helping to not only uncover the underlying issues that scar the heart, but also to help heal them — in the context of relationships. It is called an Imago Dialogue (or Couples Dialogue) and can be done within any important relationship in which you are experiencing conflict — feeling distant, unheard, angry, resentful, or hurt, etc.
“Imago theory shows that most conflicts that have a painful ‘charge are only 10% about the present situation and 90% about some past wound that is causing pain now. Imagine if you could truly heal old wounds.” (Tim Atkinson)
The Imago Dialogue is a form of communication that requires active listening, mirroring, validation, and empathy. It may feel tedious to go through the structure of this format (and if you are really angry there is the option of doing it over instant messaging so that you have some space and the emotions dont continue to get out of control with one another). However, If you go through with the process, I can almost guarantee it will have some beneficial results — creating insights, understanding, and even lasting healing.
Mercurys 3 week vacation comes to an end today at 6:03p EDT. Time to get back to business as usual, Mercury! No more looking back, uncovering problems for us to fix, and resolving the past. Time to look ahead and move forward! However, it can take a few days for the transition to smooth out, and it may not feel like a new beginning until the New Moon on Sunday night.